


Stealth

by Nary



Category: True Detective
Genre: Aging, M/M, Memory Loss, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 05:10:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19457032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: "Roland?"  The startled look on his face, the happy grin of recognition.  "Where've you been? It's been too long."It's been about twenty minutes since they had coffee together, but Roland doesn't say that.  There's no point having that conversation over and over again, and it just makes Wayne upset.  Instead he just says, "Oh, here and there, Purple.  It's good to see you again too."





	Stealth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [M J Holyoke (wholeyolk)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholeyolk/gifts).



Moving into Wayne's house happens gradually, like a stealth mission. Roland spends one night, then a few nights here and there, and then it becomes a routine. He goes back to his place every day to feed and take care of the dogs, of course - but eventually more nights than not he winds up back at Wayne's. 

It's being helpful, he tells himself. It's what a friend would do. Henry's glad someone's around to keep an eye on his old man, in case he falls getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or goes into one of his wandering spells. Wayne seems to like having him around most of the time, except when he forgets Roland's there and gets surprised all over again when he walks into a room and sees him there.

"Roland?" The startled look on his face, the happy grin of recognition. "Where've you been? It's been too long."

It's been about twenty minutes since they had coffee together, but Roland doesn't say that. There's no point having that conversation over and over again, and it just makes Wayne upset. Instead he just says, "Oh, here and there, Purple. It's good to see you again too."

It's a lot to adjust to. He only has a few of his own things there at first - toothbrush, razor, a few changes of clothes. Each time he's home he winds up bringing just a few more things over. But going back and forth to look after the dogs gets tiring after a while. Besides, he misses them. At first he just brings Little Man with him - the tiny dog who is, although he'd never admit it, his favorite. Wayne seems to like having him around, apart from grumbling when the little bastard decides he's allowed on the furniture. 

"That damn dog's on the couch," he tells Roland, who shrugs.

"Yeah, I guess he is. But he worked so hard to get up there, are you gonna be the one to tell him he didn't earn his place?"

Wayne's brow creases into a frown, but he doesn't shoo Little Man off either. Later, Roland catches him absently petting the dog as it sleeps beside him on the couch, and counts that as a small victory.

Bringing all the rest of the dogs would be too much for Wayne's house - or his patience - to handle. Roland briefly entertains the idea of suggesting that Wayne move out to his place in the country, but he already knows it wouldn't work. Too many stairs, for one thing, and the unfamiliar surroundings would be impossible for Wayne to adjust to. He's been able to stay in his house as long as he has because it's still the same as it's always been - everything is where he expects it to be, and he could find his way around it blindfolded. Throwing him into a new place just wouldn't be fair on him. 

So instead Roland starts putting up a dog run and a kennel in the backyard. The next time he stops in, Henry picks up on what he's doing and, unprompted, brings over a bunch of supplies the following Saturday and helps get everything assembled. It isn't as big as the one at his house, but it lets him bring the rest of the dogs to join them. Wayne doesn't object, save when they all get to barking at once, and then he just tells Roland, "Those dogs have some lungs on 'em."

"They do, at that. Fit to blow the trumpet on Judgement Day."

Wayne laughs, and for a minute Roland can see the years lift off him, and it's like they're both young again. If it weren't for the wrinkles, anyway.

Roland makes dinner most nights. He's the better cook, he's had to fend for himself for more years than Wayne, but it's a trade-off because Wayne wakes up earlier in the morning and gets breakfast ready. They make a pretty good team when it comes to making sure they get some decent meals each day. Roland notices he's drinking less, too. He might still have a nightcap, but he's not splashing it into his coffee throughout the day anymore. It's probably good for him, he figures.

"Look at the two of us," Wayne says one night, as they're cleaning up after dinner. Roland's bringing the dirty dishes over to the sink, and Wayne's standing there with a dish towel in his hand, waiting for them. "Like an old married couple."

Roland pauses for a minute. He's never quite sure how much Wayne remembers from one moment to the next, or how much he ought to read into that statement. "I guess we are," he agrees, keeping his tone light, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him. He puts the plates down on the counter so his hands won't shake and give him away. "I gotta ask, though. Do you remember why Lori and I split up?"

Wayne picks up one of the dishes and gives it a rinse, thinking that question over. "No," he says at last. He doesn't like to admit it, Roland can tell, but he does anyway. 

"I told her I was... that I wasn't only into girls," Roland says carefully. "That I'd been with guys before, and maybe wanted to again someday. She didn't want to deal with all that complication, so she left." He pauses, uncertain whether he should go on or not. "I told you all that, too. At the time, you... well, you didn't understand." That was putting it mildly, but he didn't see any point to dragging up the sore parts of the past. "So... that's all. I just wanted to know that you knew." 

He might not know it tomorrow - Roland might have to keep coming out to him again and again, or maybe at some point he'd figure it didn't matter anymore and stop telling him - but for now, Wayne nodded, looking thoughtful. "I guess things changed for us both. I'm sorry if I said anything that hurt you back then. You can be with whoever you want to be."

"I am," Roland said.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


End file.
